1. Field of the Present Disclosure
The present disclosure is directed to a device for blocking the normal action of certain components in an auto-loading firearm, such as, e.g., a shotgun. These components normally function to feed a round from the magazine to the chamber. The device thus prevents the chambering of a new round.
2. Related Art
Safety is the top concern whenever firearms are handled. Safety guidelines state that a round should be chambered only when the user intends to discharge the firearm. When moving, such as, e.g., riding an ATV, crossing a fence, and the like, the chambered round should be cleared.
The empty chamber provides an extra level of protection. Even if the mechanical safety associated with the trigger fails, the firearm cannot discharge because the chamber is empty. There is nothing for the gun to fire.
Clearing the chamber on a firearm with a clip-type magazine is a relatively simple affair. The user simply removes the clip and then pulls back the bolt to eject the round from the chamber.
In a firearm with a tube-type magazine, however, the process is not so simple. For example, in shotguns having tube-type magazines, each round must be manually ejected from the magazine by manually opening and closing the bolt until the magazine is empty. Likewise, reloading requires that each round be inserted individually into the magazine. A hunter who simply wants to cross a fence may have to unload the magazine, locate the ejected rounds, and manually reload the firearm. Some users may view this procedure as a hassle, which may in turn encourage less than ideal safety practices.
Accordingly, there is a need for a mechanism or device for a firearm with a tube magazine to hold the bolt open with an empty chamber while retaining any remaining rounds in the magazine.